Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Have you heard? Rachel at Stitched in Color is hosting another of her fabulous fabric mosaic contests, called Summer Crush. You can make up to two mosaics (enter by Aug. 20th)! Then on Monday the 21st, voting will open. The two top Mosaics will earn a complete fat quarter set of their mosaic fabrics from the sponsor of the contest, Quilt Sandwich Fabrics !!! Winners announced August 24th.

Summer can be such a busy season and it seems to pass in the blink of an eye... or maybe that's just me getting older! ;o) This summer has been a rich one - I've been gardening, canning, taking in favourite outdoor summer activities, travelling, exploring, spending time with family and squeezing in some sewing time (mostly garment making - which has been so lovely to return to!). It has been wonderful! One activity I enjoy year round is fabric play, so it only made sense to take a favourite past time and put together a mosaic for the Summer Crush fabric mosaic contest.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

This is the last block in the Sewcial Bee Sampler(a fun online sew along), hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell! The block for this week is Prairie Queen(for the free download to make this or the previous blocks, visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog).

Block 25 is Prairie Queen, in the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along

Woohoo! Super excited to finish the final block in the sew along and to have made each block using my scraps. I have had great fun going through my scrap stash and playing with lots of bright, happy colours as well as a myriad of low volume fabrics for my backgrounds. My plan is to continue to use low volume scraps to make the sashing for my blocks, which I know will take a bit more time and consideration than using a single fabric. However, I wanted this quilt to come completely from my stash and I'm looking forward to seeing how I can mix more low volume fabrics into the finish. ;o)

Although all the blocks are now finished, the sew along is not over with just yet! Sharon and Maureen will continue to guide us through the completion of our quilts. I'm looking forward to not only turning my blocks into a quilt, but also seeing all the other participants' quilts made from the SBS blocks. I really can't believe how quickly the weeks passed and how much I anticipated the release of each week's block! What a wonderful sew along that I am happy to have joined!

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

This is the second to the last block in the Sewcial Bee Sampler(a fun online sew along), hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell! The block for this week is Crosses and Losses (for the free download to make this or the previous blocks, visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog).

Block 24 of 25 is Crosses and Losses

Only one more block left in the sew along! The weeks have passed more quickly, I think, with a new block to look forward to and I can hardly believe that we are nearing the end.

Summer here has been one for the record books with it's string of hot, dry days. Ironic, after the record breaking flooding we had this Spring. Sadly, this also means that we are now dealing with wildfires across the province. I love the wild beauty of this province, and it's always sobering to realize the danger that exists when a combination of factors (such as extreme heat and a random spark - via Nature or mankind) come together. Thankfully, at this point,we only have poor air quality locally, which is due to the smoke from the various fires. However, it is a very real reminder of the wildfire experience we lived through in 2003, when we were among those evacuated from our (then) home. We were among the lucky to have a home to return to, while homes within a kilometre of ours were destroyed. I feel for all those with homes, businesses and lives being changed by the wildfires happening now. There is a very surreal quality to such an experience. Sometimes it is easy to forget how quickly life can change and that we are not in control of all aspects of life. I am hoping that the weather will bring rain (no lightning!!) and for the winds to die down so that these fires can be contained and no further losses are incurred.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Counting down the last three blocks in The Sewcial Bee Sampler(a fun online sew along), hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell! The block for this week is Friendship Star. (for the free download to make this or the previous blocks, visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog).

Summer is in full swing here - our temperatures have been over thirty degrees Celsius with the promise of reaching +40 Celsius by the end of this week! Looks like the weather has affected my colour selection for this week's block. ;o)

Block 23 of 25 in the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along

This week's block was one of the simpler ones to make and for my version I decided to reverse placement of background (in my case, the low volume fabrics) and the main colour. This allowed for some fun fussy cutting of a wee owl for the center of my block, as a focal point in the design. It was a complete accident that my owl looks like he has a tuft of feathers on his head, thanks to the print used above him, but I love the results! Since this block finishes so small, I decided that I would select low volume fabrics that contain lots of yellow to use for the borders, in hopes to keep this simple block from looking undersized next to the others in this sampler.

If you've been following me along this sampler making journey, you know that this is my second yellow block in my rainbow, scrappy version! Any guesses for the colour(s) for next week's block?

I can't sing the praises of this sew along enough! Please visitMaureen's blog and Sharon's blog for all the details in joining this fun, sew-at-your-own-pace, virtual sew along! It doesn't matter if you're new to quilting or if you're experienced - this sew along is geared to be fun and manageable for all skill levels. The best part is the community of support you will be a part of! It's unbelievable - truly makes it so enjoyable! If you're on Instagram, you can find all the inspiring blocks that are being made shared under the tag #sewcialbeesampler - although I will warn you, it will be difficult to resist joining in, once you see so many beautiful versions.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Time is flying and the countdown is on for the completion of the last row of blocks to be released in The Sewcial Bee Sampler(a fun online sew along), hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell. The block for this week is Mosaic. (for the free download to make this or the previous blocks, visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog).

Block 22 of 25 in the Sewcial Bee Sampler is Mosaic

Here's a look at the first 20 blocks in the sew along, which today's and last week's block will be joining. My vision for a scrappy rainbow sampler is coming together quite nicely and I am super excited that there's only three blocks left to make before I can start joining them together with sashing.
﻿

Blocks 1 - 20 for the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along

I love seeing so many favourite fabrics and all those happy colours thrown together! Nearing the finish, I guess I better pay close attention to make sure I keep a good mix of colour. ;o)

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Another week has zipped by! Time for the next block to be released in The Sewcial Bee Sampler(a fun online sew along), hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell. The block for this week is an Hourglass. (for the free download to make this or the previous blocks, visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog).

Block 20, Hourglass for Sewcial Bee Sampler

If you're following along, you know that my plan for this sew along is to make blocks using my scraps and to make the overall colour theme for this quilt, a rainbow. So far, so good! This block will be the second one to use the colour purple and considering that this is not a popular colour in my stash, my block was made mostly from fabrics that I have received in swaps over the years. It feels like an achievement that I found enough purple fabrics to make this block happen!

Rather than share a mosaic of all 21 blocks together, I will just link to last week's post for that. I have decided that for the final row of blocks, I'm going to skip sharing a mosaic to build up a little anticipation for the finish. ;o)

Pop over toMaureen's blog and Sharon's blog for all the details in joining this fun, sew-at-your-own-pace, virtual sew along! It doesn't matter if you're new to quilting or if you're experienced - this sew along is geared to be fun and manageable for all skill levels. The best part is the community of support you will be a part of! It's unbelievable - truly makes it so enjoyable! If you're on Instagram, you can find all the inspiring blocks that are being made shared under the tag #sewcialbeesampler - although I will warn you, it will be difficult to resist joining in, once you see so many beautiful versions.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Today, I’m excited to be able to share one of Free Spirit Fabrics’newest lines,Shades of Rose,by one of my favourite designers, Tanya Whelan! Please, pop over to the Free Spirit blog for the Artist UnSEWn series and more.Shades of Rose is now available to purchase, but I was lucky enough to receive some yardage in advance, so that I could do some secret sewing with it. ;o) What a pleasure to be sewing with these gorgeous, romantic fabrics! I love the vintage, yet modern feel to Tanya's designs. Shades of Rose is soft and feminine with a shabby chic flair to it, which I love. A great line to start with, if you're new to Tanya's designs, as well as being a great line to add to her other collections.

I selected four fabrics from the red colour way to sew up a few projects of my own design.

My kiss clasp coin purse design is compact, yet roomy - it will hold more than just coins! The fabric rose on the front is fastened by a brooch pin, so it is removeable.

Shades of Rose seemed like the perfect fabric to debut a couple of coin purses that I designed several years ago (and always intended to turn into a pattern). My first coin purse with the attached fabric rose brooch, has Trellis for the exterior and Falling Rose for the interior. The fabric used to make the brooch is Toile.

The coin purse with the pocket, has the exterior made from Toile with Trellis for the interior, while the pocket flap is fussy cut from Falling Rose.

I couldn't resist sewing up my favourite gift bag design using Shades of Rose and adding a couple of extra details to it. Perfect for tucking a gift or two into! The drawstring bag features Wild Rose and Toile for the exterior and Trellis for the interior.

I used some fussy cuts from Falling Rose and Trellis combined with scraps of linen and twill tape to make two different "tags" for a special detail. The rose prints work so well for fussy cutting!

Speaking of fussy cutting... I didn't stop with making tags for the gift bag! I also made some individual gift tags featuring fussy cut roses stitched onto canvas and then backed the canvas with more Shades of Rose (**I used my tag die in my Sizzix Big Shot to cut them out of canvas & fabric which allows me to make multiples quickly and easily. However, you could draw or trace a tag shape you like and then you can cut tags by hand).For gift giving, I can either stitch or stamp the recipients name onto the tag - or more often, I use either a fabric pen (which is permanent) or a Frixion pen (which is removeable when heated by iron - just be aware that ink will reappear if subjected to below freezing temperatures ;o).

Simple gift tags made from fussy cuts stitched to canvas and backed with interfaced Shades of Rose.

The final simple project I made were sweet notecards, that use scraps of Shades of Rose along with assorted haberdashery (scraps of lace, ribbons and odd buttons work wonderfully for this!).

Notecards made from scraps can be stitched onto the card or as in this case, secured using double sided tape.

I had the most fun creating with Shades of Rose and I hope you will find some inspiration in what I've shared today.

Be sure to check out the Grey and the Turquoise fabrics in the Shades of Rose collection (there are six prints in each of the three colour ways). GIVEAWAY: update: winner is Marta! Congratulations! I know you will enjoy creating with Shades of Rose! Comment below for a chance to WIN a bundle of Tanya Whelan's Shades of Rose fabrics (the ones that I used in my projects) from Free Spirit Fabrics!

Contest will run through 6pm PST on June 23, 2017 and is open worldwide.

One entry/comment per person, please.

Winner will be contacted via email (please, leave your email in your comment) and will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

The giveaway and the fabrics used in this post are both sponsored by the friendly folks at Free Spirit Fabrics!Thank you so much for visiting and special thanks to Free Spirit Fabrics!

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Time for the next block to be released in The Sewcial Bee Sampler(a fun online sew along), hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell. The block for this week is an Irish Chain Variation. (for the free download to make this or the previous blocks, visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog).

Block 20 - Irish Chain Variation in the Sewcial Bee Sampler Sew along

I love that I was able to use squares that were already cut and waiting in my scrap stash! The block is very straight forward in design and this allowed me to use twenty four different low volume fabrics for the background, plus another four for the borders. I was surprised to find so many prints that contained red on white in my stash, but it made me very happy to find a block that I could put them all into. ;o)

This block would make a wonderful quilt all on its own! I couldn't resist making a mock up using the collage option of PicMonkey to see how this would look.

Sewcial Bee Sampler Sew along; Blocks 1-20

Woohoo! That's the fourth row complete in our quilt top - only five more blocks to finish and then it will be time to add sashing strips. Getting really excited to be nearing the finish!

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Another week has flown by and it's time for the next block in the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along! This fun online sew along is hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell. The block for this week is Circle of Friends. (Please visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog for the free download to make this or the previous blocks).

Block 19, Circle of Friends

My favourite blues were selected to make this fantastic block! Digging through my scrap bins, it was fun discovering how popular aqua has been with me and how similar in value many of these fabrics are.

I gave Block 19 a minor alteration from the original design. I decided to eliminate half square triangles (HST) as much as I could to give unbroken sections of my aqua scraps. Dividing this block into quadrants you will notice that there is only two HST units per quadrant (which means I reduced seams needed to construct each quadrant by three ;o). It made sense for me to do this since I'm making my blocks from scraps - this change even allowed me to use larger scraps, and I love the results! I could easily see this block being used to make a whole quilt, wouldn't it look fabulous?

Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along, Blocks 1- 19

Wow! One more block and we will have finished the fourth row of blocks in the quilt - with only one more row to sew. I can hardly wait! Hopefully my mosaic making will help guide me in choosing colours for the remaining blocks.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

The Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along, is now at 18 out of 25 blocks! This fun online sew along is hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell. The block for this week is Square Peg. (for the free download to make this or the previous blocks, visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog).

It has been my goal with my version of the sampler blocks, to use scraps and to mix colours of the rainbow with low volume fabrics. I am eighteen blocks in on this quilt and still having fun searching through my scrap bins for fun colours and treasured bits to make each block. I love scrappy quilts!

I decided from the very beginning of this sew along that I would play with the block's design if I could. Sometimes block design changes were made just for the fun of it, while others were made to allow me to use particular scraps. This week's block underwent a few changes. First I eliminated the half square triangle units and chose to make a half and full version of flying geese units instead. It meant fewer seams and the opportunity to use larger scraps. ;o)

I ended up making a couple more changes once I finished sewing my block (you can see my first version of block 18 shown in photo below, while the final version is in the photo above).

I decided to replace a couple of my fabrics for the border when I realized I had mixed up placement of the long and short sections. Ooops! While unpicking the borders, I remembered that I had the key print ( Sandi Henderson print from her Secret Garden fabric line) in another colour way and that it would perfectly compliment the fabrics in my block. I couldn't help but exchange the border fabrics once I discovered that! I'm even more pleased with the second version.

You may also notice that just like block 17, I couldn't resist making a pieced square from my low volume fabric scraps. I like that it adds a little more interest to the block and gives me the opportunity to use up a few more of my tiny scraps.

Sewcial Bee Sampler Blocks 1-18

Pop over toMaureen's blog and Sharon's blog for all the details in joining this fun, sew-at-your-own-pace, virtual sew along! If you're on Instagram, you can find all the inspiring blocks that are being made shared under the tag #sewcialbeesampler - although I will warn you, it will be even harder to resist joining in, once you see so many beautiful versions. ;o)

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Woohoo, it's Wednesday! That means it's time for the next block to be released in The Sewcial Bee Sampler(a fun online sew along), hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell. The block for this week is Spools. (for the free download to make this or the previous blocks, visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog).

SBS Block 17 of 25 is Spools

I really had fun making this scrap filled block! I made quite a few changes to the original design. You may remember me sharing a glimpse of some low volume fabric scrap sewing that I've been doing? I decided to combine that idea with the design of this block! I replaced the four, single fabric square pieces in this block, with pieces of patchwork instead. Look at all the extra scraps I was able to incorporate into a single block! I went on to change out the center square of this block for a patchwork of four fabrics and I eliminated the half square triangles in the four corners of the block, to really make this block mine. It is so fun playing around with ways to accomplish a different look for a block and this time around, I went all out.😉 I think I set a new personal best for how many low volume fabrics in a single block. 😄

SBS Blocks 1-16

Block 17 will be added to the rainbow scrappy mix of blocks already waiting! I think I fall more in love with this quilt with each passing week. Only eight more blocks to make before turning these into a flimsy! I'm already thinking about how I will go about sashing my blocks together, because I want to continue with the scrappy look. Hopefully, by the end of summer, I will have a new quilt to share! I can't say enough good things about the sew along - it's organized by two lovely, inspiring ladies (Maureen and Sharon) and the participants are also supportive and inspiring. It's a wonderful community that I'm happy to be a part of! Honestly, as much as I look forward to completing my sampler, I also don't want the fun to end. If you haven't had a look at the sew along, don't be shy - visit Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell on their blogs and then #sewcialbeesampler on Instagram . It's never too late to join the fun!

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Years ago, I happened upon a large ziploc bag of buttons at a thrift store, that nearly left me speechless. It was one of those "can this be for real?" moments. The bag was filled to bursting, with cards of buttons in all colours, sizes and styles. There was even multiple cards of some buttons! I eagerly popped that bag of buttons into my shopping cart, knowing that I had scored a major find.

The buttons were originally stock from a local fabric store chain that closed down. Apparently, some of the unsold inventory was donated and by some sort of lucky timing, I happened to walk into the thrift store housing the button bounty!

All these lovely buttons are kept in a glass gallon jar on a shelf in my sewing room, ready to be sorted through whenever I need buttons for a project.

Love sewing buttons on by machine! I have been doing it for years and long before a specialty foot was designed for the task. These days I'm spoiled because my Janome 8900 comes with a stitch setting specifically for sewing on buttons, as well as this ever so handy foot - to make it easy-peasy!

This week, I took that jar off the shelf to search for possible candidates to finish a blouse I have been making for myself. The tricky bit would be finding nine matching buttons in a small size, but I figured it was worth shopping my stash first.
﻿﻿

My blouse is McCall's M5522 and the lovely, all cotton fabric, is from Windham Fabrics, designed by Heather Ross (from her Far, Far Away 2 Collection in 2014).

I lucked out! My lovely new blouse is now sporting these fun wood/metal buttons all found in the button jar. Woohoo!

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

The Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along, is counting down with the last 10 blocks! This fun online sew along is hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell. The block for this week is King's Crown. (for the free download to make this or the previous blocks, visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog).

Block 16, King's Crown for the Sewcial Bee Sampler

My version is scrappy, like all my blocks have been, but this time I couldn't resist a touch of whimsy, so I fussy cut a scrap from a friend, for the center of my block. I didn't have enough to be able to center the print, but I love it all the more because it meant making use of what I had to hand, which always makes me happy! I am having the best time sewing my blocks from my scrap stash and playing with all the colours in the rainbow.😀

If you're feeling inspired to join the sew along, you can find all the blocks (and the instructions to make them) on both Sharon's and Maureen's blogs.

Monday, May 15, 2017

I have mentioned my love of scrappy patchwork, which also means I'm reluctant to part with even the smallest bits of fabrics. They hold magical potential! Sewing those tiny pieces together to make one of a kind blocks is something I love to do. I let the scraps lead me in terms of the order I sew them and the design that develops. I think of it as telling story in fabric!

Part of my fabric storage organization is having containers to place the smallest scraps. This makes it easier for me to sew scrappy blocks whenever the mood strikes. Lately, the container with my low volume fabric scraps has been put to use as leader - enders as I work on other projects (such as my Sewcial Bee Sampler blocks).

Those scrappy bits of patchwork are slowly adding up and are destined to be made into something larger or perhaps even several finishes! My mind is bubbling with ideas to incorporate these into projects, so don't be surprised if you see some of them popping up fairly soon in some of my makes. ;o)

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Time to add a little sunshine to my Sewcial Bee Sampler! Broken Dishes is the block for week 15 of the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along, hosted by Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell (for the free download to make this block, visit Maureen's or Sharon's blog).

Broken Dishes is Block 15 in the Sewcial Bee Sampler

A simple block to make and a wonderful chance to use a colour that I don't turn to very often. Since this block is small with wide borders, I thought it would be fun to choose low volume fabrics that included a hint of yellow to make the block appear larger. I'm happy with the result!

﻿﻿

Blocks 1-15 in the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew along

I look forward to a new block each week and am happy we still have 10 weeks of block making ahead! The sewalong community is so supportive and inspiring. No wonder Wednesday is my new favourite day of the week!

Thinking about joining the sew along? It's not too late! The blocks are great skill builders and Maureen and Sharon are doing a wonderful job of inspiring and cheering us all on. You will find lots of helpful tips, too! Instructions for each block are well written, so it's beginner friendly and for those of us with a bit of experience, we are certainly free to play a bit with things (as I have been doing by making extra pieces in several of my scrappy block versions ;o). Some participants are even making more than one version of each block, which really is tempting! Sew along at your own pace, so even if the timing isn't the best for joining in and stitching a block a week; know that you can always download the PDF for each block so you have the information when you are ready to start sewing.

Sticking with my plan of full on rainbow-scrappy, this block had me diving into my stash of purple scraps. Purple is not a favourite with me, so my stash has a very limited amount of this colour - actually most of the fabrics in this block are made from fabrics I have received in various swaps. Thank goodness I have friends that have shared some of their purple fabrics with me! ;o)

Sewcial Bee Sampler Blocks 1 - 14

The weeks have been flying by and the blocks are really starting to add up! I'm already planning out which colour I will use for next week's block to make sure I cover all the colours of the rainbow. Any guesses which colour I might be thinking of?

Monday, May 1, 2017

It has been a decade since I first discovered Crazy Mom Quilts and became friends with Amanda Jean online. I immediately felt I had found a kindred spirit! It is no secret that I have a love affair with scraps and Amanda Jean is the Queen of Scrappy! I cannot think of a better title for her book and I know that if you love scrap quilts or if you are looking for inspiring ways to use your scraps (not just for quilts!), you will want this book.

How do I manage my scraps?

My system for organizing my scraps is simple; scraps sorted separately by size and then for the large or odd shaped pieces, grouped by colour. This works well for me, keeps me using my scraps and cuts down on the chaos of not finding what I want, when I want it. ;o) Find a system that suits you and your methods - I think that's what matters most. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to sort scraps!

"June" is the quilt pattern I tested from No Scrap Left Behind. It's a fun design that goes together quickly and Amanda Jean's tips help it go smoothly from start to finish. As suggested, I varied the widths of my strips and trimmed each unit afterwards. Chain piecing also works beautifully for making lots of strip units in a short amount of time.

The beautiful floral print fabric used for the large squares, is a European poplin designed by Rebekah Ginda for Swafing. I purchased it a couple of years ago, online from L'Oiseau fabrics in Calgary.

My colour palette was inspired by the fabric that I decided would be perfect for the main squares in the quilt. I knew I had stashed that gorgeous print for something special! ;o)

Pink, orange and blue are abundant in my stash and I enjoyed mixing them all together for a colourful, scrappy quilt filled with energy. Pink gingham for cornerstones and a sweet cherry print for the binding.

The solid backing allows the dense free motion quilting to show off all the texture it adds.

The solid pink for the backing, is from Free Spirit (in fuchsia) and I pieced strips of the main fabric along with the gingham in two narrow matching bands, to make the backing large enough. Love a pieced backing!

The wee cherry print seemed like the perfect choice for the binding!

It's difficult to see all the quilting from the front of the quilt, but it really shows on the solid fabric backing.

Those large squares inspired me to free motion quilt big blooms in them, while the pieced frames I quilted in long loops.

There were approximately a bazillion thread ends to bury after my quilting - but I think it was totally worth it! ;o)

This quilt was a joy to make! It's a beautiful pattern that makes treasured scraps shine and it's easy to sew.

I am so tempted to make this pattern again! If you're short on scraps (um, not me...) I suggest you cut up charm squares for the narrow pieced sections and a couple of layer cakes for the large squares - wouldn't that be fun?

Thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of the fun in celebrating your gorgeous and inspiring new book, Amanda Jean!

Thank you to C&T publishing for providing a free copy of No Scrap Left Behind for me to giveaway (hard copy for a U.S. winner or a digital copy for an international winner).

To be entered to win a free copy of No Scrap Left Behind by Amanda Jean Nyberg; please leave a comment on this post between now and Friday May 5, 2017 at 9pm PST.

This giveaway is open to everyone, anywhere in the world. Please make sure I can contact you through your comment by leaving your email if you are a no-reply blogger.